Kudumbashree units in Kerala promote medicinal plant cultivation

The harvested plants are purchased by Ayurveda medicine manufacturers, hospitals and cooperative societies

Indonesian-native Mahkota Dewa may not be familiar to medicinal plant growers in Kerala. But Muliyar Grama Panchayat in Kasaragod district is testing the waters with this fruit-bearing plant, said to be effective for lifestyle ailments such as diabetes.

It is among the many medicinal plants that is being cultivated in the district by Kudumbashree, the others being kattarvazha (aloe vera), cinnamon, ramacham (vetiver) and madhura thulasi (sweet tulsi or Stevia) on eight acres. “We are growing Mahkota Dewa on one acre. You can’t eat the fruit raw, as it is poisonous. It is dried in the sun before consumption. Our climate is perfect to grow this plant,” says Iqbal CH, assistant district mission coordinator of Kudumbashree, Kasaragod.